Red-hot dishes at Red Box

Surprises usually come in a box – in this case, Red Box.

Sometimes it can be a hassle deciding where to eat, especially if there is nothing new and interesting on the menu. Eventually, we all crave delicious food and a fun atmosphere. A karaoke place is a great place for an ultimate dining and entertainment experience. You could hang out with family, friends, and Sinead O’Connor on the telly.

Red Box Karaoke, known for the Liquid Tao, recently launched new entrees on its menu to offer guests a wider variety of food choices. The place boasts a large kitchen and advanced facilities to add versatility to the menu and, of course, cater to customer’s epicurean demands.

At the launch of the new menu, female chefs Jacqui Alleje, Golda Laurel-Liamzon and Jill Sandique whipped up exciting dishes with their very own kitchen secrets. Walden Chu, Red Box Karaoke managing director, says, "We’ve diversified our menu so that now there is greater variety and value. Guests are in for hearty portions of several new dishes that are not too fancy or too complicated but concocted just the way many karaoke goers would prefer it."

The new karaoke cuisine features comfort food, entrees, and something to satisfy everyone. Paolo del Rosario, Red Box Karaoke advertising and promotions director, says, "The philosophy behind pleasing our guests has always been this – simple food done well and accessible to everyone."

Filipino cuisine is always such a treat. We consider it comfort food since it reflects our culture and lifestyle.

Chef Jill Sandique embellished a fiesta staple by creating the sizzling lechon sisig – Cebuana lechon, spiked with chili sauce and mayonnaise on top. If you can’t get enough of this roasted suckling pig, try the lechon flakes with tomato slaw made with olive oil and white wine vinegar. The lechon sinigang uses cubed lechon meat, which gives the broth a distinctive flavor.

Red Box Karaoke also offers classic pasta dishes like carbonara and bolognese. Chef Golda Laurel-Liamzon, heir to Mama Rosa chain of stores, created a fusion of Filipino and Italian pasta dish. Her spicy tuyo and lemon pasta is made with spicy tuyo flakes, button mushrooms, parsley, lemon, garlic, chili with linguini noodles. Another spicy tuyo dish is the panini served with Mama Rosa tuyo flakes, kesong puti, sweet tomato, Dijon mustard and roasted garlic on a toasted baguettini. Chef Golda’s Asian crab risotto features crab fat, crispy crabmeat, wine and tomato puree with Arborio rice.

Swiss chef Jacqui Alleje has a passion for healthy eating. For an East-meets-West vibe, the seared tuna pomelo arugula salad comes with a low-fat Swiss Quark available at Rizal Dairy Farms. Her recipe for the pan-fried pesto bangus belly is made with a siding of okra stuffed bell peppers and kesong puti on a bed of organic brown rice. For the ultimate health trip, try the caramelized onion soup. This sweet and heavy snack comes with whole-wheat focaccia bread.

In a nutshell, the Red Box Karaoke experience is all about indulging in Filipino dishes with a slice of Italy, and singing your heart out to Nothing 2 U.

"In Red Box Karaoke, you will get good food given with service rendered from the heart," concludes del Rosario.

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Red Box Karaoke is located at Greenbelt 3, Makati City.